Pulsed Field Ablation: The Latest Breakthrough in Atrial Fibrillation Treatment Offers Lower Risk and Faster Recovery

Fairfield Medical Center in Lancaster has recently introduced a new treatment for atrial fibrillation (afib), a dangerous arrhythmia that affects more than 59 million people worldwide. Pulsed field ablation (PFA) therapy is the latest technology to be used for treating this condition, which can worsen over time if not treated early. As afib progresses and becomes more persistent, it can negatively impact heart function, overall health, and quality of life.

Traditional ablation therapies have been used for afib treatment for decades, but the Medtronic PulseSelect™ PFA System offers breakthrough technology with lower risks of complications. While traditional ablation therapies use thermal effects to form scar tissue within the heart, interrupting irregular electrical pathways and restoring normal heart rhythm, PFA uses pulsed electric fields to efficiently target, isolate, and eliminate triggers of the arrhythmia without extreme temperatures. This novel approach safely and effectively treats both paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation while reducing the risk of damage to surrounding tissue and structures.

Cardiologist Alexander Hattoum, MD, who performed the first PFA procedures at FMC, stated that this new technology is a game changer for the safety and speed of atrial fibrillation ablations. It will allow for nearly doubling procedural volumes, particularly for paroxysmal afib patients, and enable quicker recovery times for patients. The use of PFA therapy will also reduce the risk of complications associated with traditional ablation therapies such as bleeding or perforation of surrounding tissue.

Atrial fibrillation can cause symptoms such as heart palpitations